Cornell University is racing to find a new headliner after its university president rescinded the contract for a pro-Palestinian performer.

Selecting Kehlani to headline Cornell’s annual Slope Day “has injected division and discord” into the event, university president Michael I. Kotlikoff wrote in a letter.

Kehlani, who has enjoyed chart-topping success for nearly a decade, has for years been a vocal supporter of the Palestinian people. In a video for their song "Next 2 U" released in 2024, the singer appeared before a Palestinian flag and incorporated the words "long live the intifada," a popular refrain at protests over the Israel-Hamas war.